igneous
Pink Granite
Pink Granite (Felsic Intrusive Igneous Rock)
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Pink, reddish-tan, white, and black; Luster: Dull (weathered) to vitreous (on fresh breaks); Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline; Cleavage: None (though constituent feldspar has cleavage).
- Hardness
- 6-7 Mohs
- Color
- Pink, reddish-tan, white, and black
- Luster
- Dull (weathered) to vitreous (on fresh breaks)
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6-7 Mohs; Color: Pink, reddish-tan, white, and black; Luster: Dull (weathered) to vitreous (on fresh breaks); Structure: Phaneritic (coarse-grained) crystalline; Cleavage: None (though constituent feldspar has cleavage).
Formation & geological history
Formed from the slow cooling of magma deep beneath the Earth\'s surface (plutonic). The pink color is due to a high concentration of potassium feldspar (orthoclase). This specific specimen is a water-worn river stone or beach pebble.
Uses & applications
Used in construction, countertops, monuments, and as decorative landscaping gravel. In this rounded form, it is often used in rock gardens or as a tactile pocket stone.
Geological facts
Granite makes up a large portion of the Earth’s continental crust. The pink variety is particularly famous in the 'Pink Granite Coast' of Brittany, France, and in the Llano Uplift of Texas.
Field identification & locations
Identify by looking for a 'salt and pepper' crystalline texture with visible flecks of pink (feldspar), clear/white (quartz), and black (biotite or hornblende). Common in glacial deposits and riverbeds.
